Electric switch socket



Dec. 8, 1931. 3, HERSEE 1,835,566

ELECTRIC SWITCH SOCKET Filed Jan. 31, 1950 Cil Fatented Deco was ee-tan"- FREDERICK csnnnsnn, or BELMONT; nassaonnsnrrs This invention EIiEGTRIC' swIroH sooner Application area January 31, 1930. sensing. mascot relates to switch sockets for electric lamps and is designed preferably but not exclusively, for use in connection 'Wltll l1 ghtmg systems for automobiles. The invention aims to provide an improved switch ing portion for establishing and dis-establishing the lighting circuit atwill, including control means located outsideof the socket for manually operating the switch.

he invention will best be understood from a description of a preferred embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein I Figure '1 is a side elevation of an electric lamp switch socket containing my improvef ment; a portion automobile body,

of the socket mounting or which serves as a terminal for grounding the'circuit being shown in sec tion;

parts shown in F FigsB, 4 and Fig. 2 a longitudinal vertical SBCll-lOnlOllthe ig.1';'- r

5 cross sectional viewson the'lin'es33 ela't and 55 of Fi 2 showing respectively face views of rear contact spr1 the front and ngs ot the SW'ltClYPOl'tlOD,

and the inner end of the insulation plug and terminal mount-ed in the rear end ot the socket.

The cylindrical metal casing 10 is adapted to receive at one ably secured therein a lamp bulb 11 removby suitable interlocking end means, such as the usual bayonet joints comprising the slots 12 arranged on opposite sides of the casing rim and the corresponding r studs 13 provided on the lamp base 14:. in

the opposite end of the casing is suitably secured at permanentterminalplug 15 out insulation material. "Thisplug has. a bore therethrough parallel with but eccentric to the axis of the plug to receive a-metallic socket or'terminal member 16, into'which the bared end, forming a terminal-'17, ot an insulated conductor 18 1s 111S61t6Cl"lIllCl detachably justable set screw held by su'itableaneans,such as an ad- 19. "I have illustrated only one of the circuit conductors, it being designed in the presentembodiment to ground the opposite or return side of the circuit on the frame work of the motor vehicle, apart of which is indicated at 20. Thesockct or terminal. member 16 is thus similarly disposed eccentric to and parallel with the axis ofthe casing 10, its forward end being exposed within the casing and flush with the inner face of the plug 15.

Within the casing in the space intervening'the lamp and the terminal plug 15 is a rotatable switch portion including an insulation block 21, which is operatively con trolled exterior-1y of the casing by suitable means such as the switch lever 22 screwed or otherwise removably secured at one end in a=corresponding threaded opening in the block 21'and extending through a suitable slot or opening 23in the casing wall.

Carried on the rear face of the block 21, and disposed within'the space intervening the block and the plug 15, is a contact spring 24 for yieldable engagement with the terminal member 15 said contact spring being preferably terminally provided with a lateral extension member 25 presenting a contact point which is eccentric tolthe axis of the block 21 for engagingthe inner face of the terminal member 16 during circuit operation, while arranged on the opposite face'of the block 21 and disposed Within the space intervening the block and the lamp base 14 is another contact spring 26, for constant engageofsuitable conductivity and cross sectional H proportions to carry the current without any appreciable heating whereby the spring qualities in the metal are not afi'ected, thus avoiding the usual deterioration of the metal and loss of tensional strength commonly experienced when fine wire coil springs or other similarly objectionable devices are employed to maintain engagement between the contact points and corresponding terminals or other parts of the circuit. r

In the present embodiment of my invention, the body of the strip 28, out of which the contact springs are preferably formed, disposed centrally within a transverse recess 29 provided on the margin of the block opposite the lever 22, the ends of the strip projecting beyond theblo-ckoneitherside being first bent at right angles togrip in clamping engagement the correspohdiirgad jaccnt faces of the block 21, each end being then bent in the reverse directionytorming U shaped structures presenting different arcs of curvature adapted to theprevai-li-ng space conditions and respectively engaging, the terminal member 16 and the lamp contact 27."

To avoid accidental displacement in any direction of the strip 28 with the contact springs 2st, 26 from their given positions with'respect to the bloclc 21,rthe clamping engagement of the yoke-like structure thus tormed to permit a slip-on 'connection maybe supplemented by additional means if dc sired, which may be eith'erpositive or nonpositive'in character,- but-preferably of such construction =that the easy removability of these parts isnot impaired. Such: supplemental securingmeans is herein: illustrated by the provision of ext-ension'members 30, 30 on the opposing sides of the-contact springs 2 1 26, and preferably raisedoutot the material ot which the-springs'are constructed; to register with corresponding openings provided in the faces ofxthe block 52l,-herein shown at the oppositeends-o-fa transverse bore 31 extending through-the axis ofthe block 21, said members 30- being held in respective registering position by-the gripping action of-the contact-springs; It willbe observedthataby the foregoing; construction the entire contact-spring assembly may be: readily removed and replacedat will in onepiece without the aid otanytools or the removal-of fixedparts .ifl'by reason of wear or deterioration from other-.causes,-it becomes desirable to make replacement.

Removal of the entire switch assel'nhly as a unit from the casing 10 is-ettected by'lirst unscrewingtl-ie lever 22 and .then' detaching the lainp,- which isadapted normally-and whileheld in. operative position -i nnthecasing to compress the contactmembers: and thus keep-them under constant tension:

The rim. of the insulation block Qlispretjerably sheathed :by a metal :ring which slid ably-- tits in the casing-10- and has a: suit--. able opening throughitswall registering nssasee with a corresponding opening in the blocl: 21 to receive the lower end of the lever 22.

During operating of the lamp 11 the lever 22 and switch block 21 are positioned as illus trated in Fig. 2, that is to say the contact spring 24 whose contact point 25 is always eccentric to the axis of the block 21 is arranged to contact with the exposed inner face of the terminal member 16. To open the circuit. and extinguish the lamp the block 21 is rotated slightly on its axis by means of the 1eve r22, the slot 23 of the casing being ad apt-cd'to limitthe movements of the lever. This movement of the block causes the contact point 25 to move onto the insulation face of th eibloek fil and ont of contact with the terminal member 16, thus breaking the circuit: "To'iestore the circuit, the movement of the lever-and switch portion is reversed.

It will be obvious that my invention is not restricted tothe-specitic embodiment: herein described and shown."

'1. A. device of the class described comw prising, in: combination, a. casing having means atone endwto receive alamp, a terminal support inthe opposite end of the casing, a terminal carried by the terminal support for electrical connection with a source of energy' and arranged eccentric to the axis of the casing; said terminal. having a portion exe posed'within the casing, a-'rotatable switch portion within the casing'for establishing and :di-s-establishingelectrical connection between said terminal and the lamp and having its axis substantially coincident with the axis" o-f'the 'C3Slllg,-; 111(l control means-associacted with the switch portion and I operable exteriorly of the casing for rotating the switch-portion in- -either ofopposite directions, said switch portion including van insulation-blockand a spring metal strip one piece formed to provide opposing sideportions for self-supporting gripping engagement with said block and free end portions for-:tensional contact with the terminal and the lamp.

2. A device of the class described comprising,incombination; a casing open at one end to'receive a lamp-and closed at the opposite end, a terminal inthe-closed end of the casingsarran'ged eccentric to the axis thereof, a rotatable switch' portion within the casing and having its" axissubstantially coincident with theaxis ofthe casing, controlmeans op erableexteriorly of'the casing for rotating the switch'portionin either of opposite directions,= and means carried by and movable with the switch portion for providing electrical-connection between the lamp and the terminal, including a spring contactmember oneaclr side of the switch portion and means fo-r supporting said contact members in quick detachable gripping engagement with the body of the switclr portion.

3. In a device of the class described, in combination, a casing open at one end for receiving and supporting a lamp and closed at the opposite end, a terminal in said closed end of the casing arranged eccentric to the axis thereof, a rotatable switch portion within the casing, and control means operable exteriorly of the casing for rotating the switch portion in either of opposite directions, said switch portion including an insulation block having a transverse channel in its periphery and a recess on at least one side, and means removably supported on said block for establishing and dis-establishing electrical connection between said terminal and a lamp and including a spring metal strip seated in said channel and having extended end portions arranged to make gripping engagement with opposite faces of said block, at least one of said end portions having a lateral extension member extending into said recess.

4. In a device of the class described, in combination, a casing open at one end to receive a lamp and closed at the opposite end, a terminal in the closed end of the casing arranged eccentric to the axis thereof, a rotatable switch portion within the casing having its axis substantially coincident with the axis of the casing and including an insulation contact carrier and self-supporting means mounted on the carrier for establishing and dis-establishing electrical connection between said terminal and a lamp, said means including a unitary spring metal structure adapted to be quickly slipped on and off the carrier and having oppositely arranged side portions for gripping the contact carrier.

5. In a device of the class described, in combination, a casing open at one end to receive a lamp and closed at the opposite end, a terminal in the closed end of the casing arranged eccentric to the axis thereof, a rotatable switch portion within the casing inc eluding an insulation block and means on the block for establishing and dis-establishing electrical connection between said terminal and the lamp, said means including a U- shaped structure having side portions arranged on opposite sides of said block and having end portions formed to provide spring contact members, one of said members being adapted to permanently engage the lamp and the other of said members being adapted to be moved by said block into and out of engagement with said terminal.

6. In a device of the class described, in combination, a casing open at one end to receive a lamp and closed at the opposite end, a terminal in the closed end of the casing arranged eccentric to the axis thereof, a rotatable switch portion within the casing having its axis substantially coincident with the axis of the casing and including an insulation block, switch control means operable exteriorly of the casing for rotating said block in either of opposite directions, and tensional contact means in quick detachable gripping engagement with the block for establishing and dis-establishing electrical connection between said terminal and a lamp, said name to this specification.

FREDERICK C. HERSEE. 

